Spawned Parenting Podcast: Latest Episodes
The latest from Spawned, our award-winning parenting podcast
Getting real with Jenna + Bodhi Elfman about parenting and relationships after kids | Spawned Episode 41
Well this is a good one, Spawned podcast fans! In our newest episode of Spawned with Kristen + Liz, we're getting real about relationships and parenting with two very special guests, Jenna and Bodhi Elfman. (Yes, that Jenna and Bodhi Elfman.) Beyond being famous for...
15 simple, possibly unexpected ways parents can connect with their tween or teen
We all heard that raising tweens and teens are hard, but now, here we are ourselves with a few on our hands, and doing our best to navigate the challenges of parenting them. Whether you're in the throes of it yourself, are approaching it rapidly, or just want to get a...
Young moms vs old moms: The new phase of the mommy wars? | Spawned podcast episode 41
Thank you so much for all of your tweets, emails, DMs and as Liz would say, "letters," asking whether we were okay. YES we are okay! And after a brief hiatus, we're so happy to be back with a new episode of Spawned with Kristen + Liz, and it's a fun one. Says us. You...
More coolness from recent weeks…
Rise Shine #Woke: How this hip hop album will get kids kids moving. And thinking.
If you're a fan of Old School Hip Hop, when rappers used poetry backed by slick beats to get socially conscious messages out to the world, then you'll want to get the latest album by Oakland based kindie hip-hop group Alphabet Rockers for your own kids. Featuring...
6 kids’ back-to-school essentials to get at the J.Crew Factory sale right this second
Like you, I'm a fan of sales. I'm also a fan of of J.Crew -- especially for kids' clothing, because it's always the perfect blend of well-made and "I wonder if they have that in my size." So when I saw that everything on the J.Crew Factory site is on sale, at this...
Awesome socks that pay homage (or is it toe-mage?) to pioneers of STEM and art.
Our friends at Chatty Feet have done it again, updating their killer collection of artist and pop culture socks for kids and adults. I'm such a fan, I'm currently wearing Andy Sock-hole right now -- but only because Feetaso is in the hamper. Yay for their intro to...
6 times celebrity moms clapped back at mommy shamers, and we all said hell yeah! | Thinking: Parent
I've only been a mom for five months, but it's long enough to know that mommy shaming is a very real thing. Whether it's the sidelong stare from a stranger while you breastfeed in public or the loaded question, Oh, your baby doesn't eat 1000% organic, cold pressed...
Calling all artistic kids! This cool shop lets you design and sell your own custom plush toys
We're big fans of Budsies, custom dolls based on your kids' own artwork. My kids' own drawings were lovingly interpreted into adorable stuffed animals by their team a few years ago, and they're still favorites around our house. So when we heard Budsies was launching a...
Thank you Target, for your new line of cute new sensory-friendly clothing!
Scratchy tags, raised seams, and puffy patches on shirts or pants may seem like little things to a lot of us, but they can be big deals for kids with sensory issues. So leave it to Target to create a line of new sensory-friendly kids' clothing that's as cute as it is...
15 of the best birthday gift ideas for preschoolers that are under $15. For real.
Having a preschooler means lots of classmate birthday parties to look forward to during the school year. And that means lots of birthday gifts, which can really add up. Luckily, there are lots ideas of really cool birthday gift ideas for preschoolers that are under...
23 of the absolute cutest animal school supplies | Back to School Guide 2017
Kids outgrow trends so fast, there's something wonderful about animals, which our little kids love -- and our tweens and teens too. So next up in our 2017 Back-to-School Shopping Guide, we've put together a selection of the absolutely most adorable animal themed...
Tory Burch, Billie Jean King, and women’s equality FTW
I'd imagine that any of our mothers -- and fathers -- who were around in 1973 fighting the "battle of the sexes" would be happy to see the progress we've made since then, but disheartened to know that issues of inequality are still being fought on so many fronts. As a...
#Hairgoals: 10 cool hair braiding tutorials for girls with all kinds of hair.
SMy daughter's new obsession: hair braiding videos. She's all over YouTube, checking out the coolest braid styles she can do herself, do to her friends, do to me, do to her great-grandmother...basically anyone too nice or too tired to say no. Truth is, she's actually...
23 of the coolest Wonder Woman school supplies | Back to School Guide 2017
I think it's safe to say that this is the year of Wonder Woman. Okay, so on this site, every year has been the year of Wonder Woman, but with the hit movie introducing her to a new generation, our kids are clamoring for Wonder Woman gear for back-to-school that...
NASA’s own tip for making easy, DIY solar eclipse glasses. Because no, you can’t buy them anymore.
Okay, so you missed your opportunity to buy legit solar eclipse glasses for your family and you may have even missed the opportunity to get free solar eclipse glasses in select locations. That doesn't mean you should scorch your retinas for life for a few hours of...
12 motivational back-to-school printables to send kids off with a smile.
We've been hard at work rounding up some of the absolute coolest back to school gear for the season, like unicorn school supplies, crazy cheap preschooler gear, fun space-themed supplies, with tons more still coming. And now we've found a great selection of...
How well do Inkbox semi-permanent tattoos work? | Damn You, Social Media Ads
I’ve never taken the plunge to actually get a real tattoo. While Kristen's tattoos look amazing, the pain and permanence hold me back. So, when I saw the ads for semi-permanent tattoos from Inkbox in my Facebook feed over and over, I thought I'd give one a try as...
We love these My Little Pony, Hello Kitty, Super Mario, and Disney cosmetics for adults. No apologies.
Just because we’re grown ups doesn’t mean we have to grow up. Add some magic to your makeup.
The song reminding kids of all the goodness in the world, just when they need it.
This past week has been so difficult. For me, for all of us here...and probably for you. The events in Charlottesville have shined a bright light on bigotry and hate, which can do real damage to your soul. And if we feel scared and heartbroken -- well, imagine what it...
How one little gadget is making parents’ busy lives a whole lot easier.
Technology has the amazing power to simplify the lives of parents, which is exactly the case with the our newest sponsor, Wemo Mini. This little plug can turn any small appliance -- think lamps, fans, humidifiers, coffee makers -- in a smart appliance. And so...
What’s better than safe, kid-friendly nail polish? Safe, kid-friendly nail polish you can wash off with water.
My daughter loves nail polish, but she's not so crazy about taking it off once it starts to chip. As for me, I cringe a little when I soak her little kid fingers with strong nail polish remover. Because, chemicals. Right? So I love our latest discovery:...
29 very cool, very affordable back-to-school finds for tweens and teens
Back-to-school shopping with tweens and teens is like a whooole new thing. They have pretty strong opinions about what they love and don't love. Even more than preschoolers, if you can believe that. (Though at least they don't insist on wearing their swimsuit and...
9 of the coolest, prettiest 2017-18 school year planners to get you and your family on the same page
As much as I love the convenience and ease of digital calendar apps, I'm in the market for a brand new 2017-18 school year planner, because I'm a paper planner girl at heart. I always get a little thrill when it's time to get a new one, and that time is now! Because...
The best and worst states to have a baby in 2017 | Thinking: Parent
With a lot of concern around changing health care policy, tax increases impacting the middle class, benefit cuts to struggling families, and the fact that Americans already pay the highest birthing costs in the world, I was intrigued to check out WalletHub's...